Poland

Americans who think of Poland as run-down — full of rusting factories, smoggy cities, and gloomy natives — are speechless when they step into Kraków’s vibrant main square, Gdańsk’s colorful Royal Way, or Warsaw’s lively Old Town. While parts of the country are still cleaning up the industrial mess left by the Soviets, Poland also has some breathtaking medieval cities that show off its kind-hearted people, dynamic history, and unique cultural fabric.